95 of 100 Members of Latvia's 15th Saeima Hold Higher Education, Most Often in Economics

The newly elected 15th Saeima, Latvia's parliament, held its first session this week, confirming members' mandates and swearing them in. Latvian Television (LTV), reviewing the deputies' declarations, found that 95 of the 100 members have higher education, with economics, business and management the most common fields. Yesterday deputies laid flowers at the Freedom Monument to mark the 104th anniversary of the Saeima's convening.

Those without higher education

Four deputies – Juris Lazdiņš, Artūrs Butāns, Ainārs Šlesers and Dana Šlesere – have secondary education, while Edgars Dārznieks has basic education.

Fields of study

Some deputies hold several degrees, so LTV counted education records rather than people. About a third of all records relate to economics, business and management. Law is the next largest group. Deputies also include representatives of history, philology, philosophy, art and music, as well as engineering, chemistry, biology and geography.

Seven deputies hold a doctorate: Andris Skride (clinical medicine), Edvīns Šnore (history), Mārtiņš Hiršs and Andris Sprūds (political science), Jana Simanovska (environmental engineering), Andrejs Judins and Inese Lībiņa-Egnere (law). Līga Meņģelsone, Jānis Vitenbergs and Jevgēnija Šafraneka obtained degrees this year; Meņģelsone earned two master's degrees within three years. Jānis Urtāns is a ship's navigator, Česlavs Batņa a conductor and Andrejs Svilāns a plant physiologist; all three represent the party United List.

Effect on priorities

Guntars Vītols (United List), who holds a master's degree in economics, names financial and economic issues as his priority. Roberts Žemaitis (Latvia First), who holds a bachelor's degree in electrical science, wants to look into the Nord Pool power exchange. Krista Burāne (The Progressives), who holds a master's degree in arts, will focus primarily on culture and nature protection.

Political scientist Lelde Metla-Rozentāle says education generally supports better decisions and that economic education may be useful in the current complex economic situation. Political scientist Romāns Gagunovs notes that a diploma alone does not guarantee political competence and that politicians need basic knowledge of politics and law, since parliamentary work is based on draft legislation.